Is this the final stop? (Toni Shalifoe)

Chapter 30

Once the service ends, Toni immediately hops out of the pew. Shelby watches her half-run down the aisle away from everyone. Toni almost looks back for a moment, can feel eyes on her. She goes to turn, too tempted at the feeling, wanting to know.

But right as she does, Toni slams right into Leah. Toni blinks at her, not sure she had even seen her before, could never picture her in a service like this.

"Ha, yeah, I know what you're thinking," Leah retorts.

Toni's not sure how to respond. Not sure how to feel after everything she heard from Dave. Everything she just learned from reading the hymnal.

Leah looks over Toni's shoulder, sees Shelby watching, "Hey, let's find somewhere quieter, yeah?"

Toni just offers a small nod, her eyes lowering. Leah grabs Toni's hand and leads the way.

And Shelby can't rip her eyes off the scene. Until she feels her own hand being pulled by Dave He throws her in mid-conversation with an overweight man. He's scruffy and starting to bald.

"This is my absolute trophy of a daughter, my Shelby."

Shelby restrains from the wince she feels coming on from being introduced this way. She shoots out her hand for him to shake it, he has a strong grip, which reminds her of her father.

"He was just tellin' me how inspired by my sermon he was," Dave beams. There's a glint in his eyes, as if he's drunk from the compliments.

"It's... um sure nice to meet you—"

"A pleasure, Shelby," Dave says to her, disappointed, like she knows better. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," He corrects. "My apologies for her," Dave says to the man.

"I was just telling your Daddy here how the family section really spoke to me. You are a lucky girl to be in this family of yours. I hope you know that. Y'all are real special."

The addition of y'all seems like the man is really trying to sell the southern hospitality, or trying to impress Dave. Whatever it is, it's working like a charm.

Shelby eyes flick away from him to the crowd, hoping they would find Toni, but she knows she can't be distracted for too long.

"I best be lettin' you gush over him, he sure does love that." Shelby says, a bit through her teeth, knowing that she's balancing on one of the seven deadliest sins: pride.

"We keep ourselves humble in this family," Dave scolds with a smile, understanding the context of what Shelby was saying.
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Toni and Leah are in a small room that acts as a library for different scriptures, bibles, hymnals and even children's books. Toni sits, her hands fidgeting, her knee jittering. Leah walks along the length of the room, inspecting the books.

"So, it seems like this has been a really shitty day for you," Leah starts. The sermon going unspoken. "How are you feeling with everything?"

"It's nothing," Toni mutters, restraining her emotions to the best of her ability.

"And Shelby?"

"What about Shelby," Toni retorts.

"Been pretty shitty for her, too. Don't you think? Not only having a Dad like that, coming off the high of a religion like this. But... I mean, well, you can trust me."

"Okay..." Toni responds cautiously.

"Okay. You can trust me though, when you're ready with your secret," Leah offers.

"I'm not holding a secret," Toni answers quickly.

Leah sighs, "No... maybe not. Or maybe you don't want it to be a secret."